Mercury Begins Its Last Retrograde Period of 2021 in Late September. Mercury changes signs, leaving sidereal Virgo and entering sidereal Libra on September 21. Mercury is happy to be in Libra, an Air Sign, and with its friend Venus. But Mercury only gets 1 degree into Libra, and then becomes ‘Stationary.’

Mercury then Goes Retrograde, on Sept 26. At first, Mercury is not subject to any Malefic Influence. Therefore the first days of Mercury Retrograde are mild, with just the usual Merc Rx annoyances: Delayed Communications, Misunderstandings, Mistakes in Transactions, Equipment Malfunctions.

Retrograde Mercury ‘Backs Into’ sidereal Virgo on October 1. Now Mercury is in its own sign, which might be good, except that waiting in Virgo is Mars, the enemy of Mercury. The planet of Force & Aggression will Distort the significations of Mercury, already under stress due to the planet’s retrograde condition. Mars is Impatient & Impulsive; Retro Mercury is prone to make Mistakes. The exact conjunction of Mars and Retrograde Mercury is on October 9, @ 22 deg Virgo. The Sun is conjunct as well, an additional factor implicating Authority, Governments, Use of Power, etc. While Mars and Retrograde Mercury associated, there is a high likelihood for Anger, Mistakes, Dramatic News, Bad Decisions.

Mercury Retrograde will End on October 18. A few days later, on Oct 21, Mars proceeds into Libra, leaving Mercury alone in its own sign Virgo, and the planet of Rational Thinking and Reasonable Decisions will slowly return to normal.